


A Bonding of Convenience

by zenkitty555



Series: A Bonding [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Bonding, Comeplay, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Mpreg, Omega Verse, Post-Doctor Strange (2016), Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Scenting, Sex Magic, Sorcerer Supreme, Sorcerers, The Vishanti, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-04 00:09:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10262198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenkitty555/pseuds/zenkitty555
Summary: Karl’s quest to become Sorcerer Supreme leads him down an unlikely path that will tie him to Stephen forever, for good or for bad.





	1. Bonding

**Author's Note:**

> My first foray into the Omegaverse. As far as warnings, although everything is consensual, the characters often delve into some morally grey areas (just fyi). The story will be in three parts with an epilogue.  
> Mainly this story is a romance in reverse. ;)

Karl blamed the Vishanti for all of it. After all those years of suppressants, his control over his body would go out the window, because of the Vishanti and their demands. They wanted the power from bonding an Omega and an Alpha sorcerer, and that was their requirement to gain the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Karl wanted the position much more than anything else, but it was looking more and more likely that the only person he would be able to bond with was Stephen Strange.

Although they had parted poorly, Stephen had sought him out to convince him to come back. Everything at Kamar-Taj unraveled after Hong Kong, and they needed him, or so Stephen said. After coming back, the two rarely met, as Karl found him distasteful now. He had broken so many natural laws, and was as egotistical as before. Kamar-Taj had never really changed him. It had only given him more knowledge. Karl now thought of him as a disappointing pupil.

The reason Karl decided to ask Stephen was rather simple. Karl's pool of possible matches was small, as Alphas and Omegas were as rare as people with green eyes. Most of the other candidates were either too old or too inexperienced for Karl to consider them. The surprising bit of the whole affair was that Stephen had agreed to Karl’s request. He had some questions though, but thankfully they were reasonable.

“Why would they make such a request?” Stephen asked. 

“The act of creation from biological and spiritual compliments is a powerful thing. Those who do not practice sorcery, have a muted version of this when bonded. For people like us, it is amplified a hundred times over. The power the Vishanti can gain from it can usher in another golden age for human kind,” Karl explained.

Stephen nodded. 

“So why haven't the Vishanti asked for this before?”

“Long ago, it was a given that the Sorcerer Supreme was an Omega or an Alpha, as Betas were in the minority. The Ancient One was the first Beta Sorcerer Supreme, but in the last three centuries Betas have become majority.” 

It was a piece of history rarely discussed in Kamar-Taj, as modern society with its use of suppressants and different types of birth control, made it an obsolete discussion. He wasn’t quite sure if it was the same outside the halls of Kamar-Taj though. Unless you were an Alpha or an Omega, the only way one knew who was a non-Beta was if they were an Omega. Omegas could smell Alphas, and often saw the signs of other Omegas hypersensitivity to smells. Alphas could only smell Omegas if they were naturalist or temporarily off of suppressants for whatever reason. 

Stephen smelled like sandalwood, orange, and lavender. It was slightly nauseating, because of the suppressants. Karl knew once they wore off, his tastes would change, as almost any earthy smell would be attractive to an Omega approaching heat.

“I will send a message when it’s nearing the time,” Karl said, as he ushered Stephen out of his office. 

“Should I come here?”

“I will go there, as Kamar-Taj lacks the privacy needed.” 

Stephen left, not looking back. Karl watched him with trepidation. The man carried himself differently, and lacked the easy going nature he once possessed. He seemed more serious and grounded than before. His cloak helped him strike an imposing figure, a far cry from the man he found wandering the streets of Kathmandu. 

Turning back to his daily tasks, Karl tried to rid himself of the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

\----

Karl mostly kept to himself over the next few weeks. He thought it was unbecoming to interact with students as his scent became stronger.  The only people he did see were the masters of Kamar-Taj and the sanctums as he prepared for his heat. It had been decades since the last time he went through one, but he could remember the burning desire and need like it was yesterday. It would be unpleasant, but necessary to accomplish his goal, so he would endure it with ease. 

A few days before it started, he had felt the feverish chills that accompanied his body’s preparation for his heat. It became harder to focus on his work, having to remove and add layers of clothes throughout the day. The growing unease and nervousness he felt about binding also heighten all the different sensations he was feeling.

He picked up his pen to send a note to the New York Sanctum. He hadn’t stepped foot in the Sanctum since the day the Ancient One died. He wouldn't step foot in it again until it was time. Instead, he sent his message with one of the other masters at Kamar-Taj, who trained the students.

The next few days past slowly, until the appointed time came when he would go to the New York Sanctum. In his head he repeated the necessary spells and movements the Vishanti had showed him to cast. It seemed easy enough, although the language was ancient and gave him a hard time at first. The movements were simple, but he would need to perform them three times as they were joined. The Vishanti assured him if done correctly, he would be successful in his bid to become the next Sorcerer Supreme. 

As he walked through the halls of the New York Sanctum, Stephen's smell clung to nearly every object. It was as if he rubbed himself over every surface. Karl knew that wasn’t the case, but it was already becoming difficult to concentrate on what he needed to do. It was bewildering to think about how people functioned before suppressants. He guessed that’s where tales of chastity belts and Omegas locked in attics came from. The gothics in particular had many horrific tales of the demise of Alphas by Omegas and vice-versa. He smiled to himself as he remembered those horrific tales he read as young boy, often putting himself in the role of the Omega. The strength and power they showed was inspiring to him, despite the negative intent of the authors. 

Stephen came around the corner, obviously and ridiculously following his nose. His face had a little more color than usual, most likely from arousal. Karl knew he probably spent the last few days smelling the note he sent, as his scent must have marked its fibers. It was not often Alphas would be able to smell an Omega in this days in age. Karl knew there were shops you could procure items used by Omegas, and every city also had a seedy underbelly where you could illegally procure their services as well, but Stephen never struck him as the sort that would go for that kind of thing. The man always had his nose in books much more than other people’s business. He was also not unattractive, and probably had a few naturalist fling themselves at him from time to time.

“Hi,” Stephen said.

“Which room is it?” 

Karl tried to keep his voice clear of emotion.

“Second to the left.”

“It will take me some time to cast the spells needed, so you may want to prepare some water and the like.”

Stephen nodded, although it took him a few seconds to pull himself away. 

When Karl entered the room, it was rather plain compared to the the other areas of the sanctum, but it was littered with books on almost every solid surface above the ground, except for the bed. Karl shook his head. Stephen should have cleaned a little, but it was no matter, as long as there weren’t any books in the bed. Karl did check the bathroom before he began. Thankfully, that was clean. 

Karl set to work casting the first set of standard spells, and then moved on to the secondary ones afterward. Most of them were for comfort, but a few were required by the Vishanti. Karl was already tired after casting the first few. It would be an exhausting few days. 

He didn’t notice Stephen enter until after he set the spells, and even then Karl smelled him first. It was an overpowering aphrodisiac, especially since it had been such long since his last heat. However, it was still not time, and Karl wasn’t going to start early. 

“Don’t you have some work to do?” Karl asked.

Stephen leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, his scent rolling off of him, distracting Karl. 

“Not really.”

“It won’t be ready for another few hours.”

“Oh.” 

Stephen looked at him, more than his others partners had. It was a little unsettling, but Karl figured he was likely as nervous as Karl was. It was one thing to spend a heat with someone, but bonding had implications that went beyond. Obviously, if the Vishanti wanted the power produced from the act, it was much more serious than those gothic novels made it out to be. 

“Go and rest somewhere,” Karl urged. 

Stephen left. Karl would do the same, away from Stephen and his gaze. First though, he put the books back on the bookshelves hidden behind the open bathroom door. The mess had been irritating him to no end. 

After he finished, he crawled under the covers of the bed, hoping to stop the round of chills that had overtaken him. 

When he woke, the first thing he noticed was Stephen's smell again. The man couldn't leave him alone. As he woke, Karl realized that it was actually time. He felt a lot hotter than when he climbed into the bed, and could feel his body start to cry out for physical comfort. 

He opened his eyes to see Stephen reading one of the books Karl had put back on the shelf. He was only half reading it, as his eyes seemed to dart over the top of the book every few seconds. 

Karl took some deep breaths. He wanted to wait a little longer, just long enough so he was less self conscious, even though his trousers were becoming soiled from the slickness coming from him. He knew Stephen could smell him, and that it must have taken him a lot of self control not to come any closer to Karl as he slept.

“Here,” Karl croaked. 

His mouth was drier than he expected. He watched as Stephen quickly set the book down and climbed into the bed, his clothes still on. 

“I know this is not ideal for you,” Stephen said looking into Karl’s eyes.

“Nor for you.”

“I haven't done this before, but I will try my best to take care of you,” he confessed. 

“What?” 

Karl didn’t need to hear this now. Even if he was a fumbling moron about it, they would still go through with it.

“I’ve never been with an Omega. It's too intimate, so I’ve only been with Betas.” 

Karl nodded at the logic of it. It was more intimate when you couldn’t stop and pull apart from a partner. There would come a point of no return, where only trust would carry them through.

“After we join, I will have to cast the required spell. It will need three rounds to be completed, and during the third round we will need to bond,” Karl warned.

Stephen nodded in response. 

They really should have talked about this in more detail earlier, but Karl had been too self-involved and bitter about the various events that had happened. Now inside the bed, it seemed actually safer to talk about it. Maybe because it was nearly impossible to back out with their bodies so close together. They weren't yet pressed up against one another, but soon they would be. 

“Is it okay if I touch you?” Stephen asked

“Yes.” 

Tender would be the word to describe Stephen’s advances. Slowly, he began to peel off Karl’s clothes, starting with the outer robe he was wearing. The first touches to his skin felt electric, and Karl tried to reciprocate the favor, grabbing onto the simple shirt that Stephen had been wearing. Karl’s hands slid under the fabric, moving across the muscles of his abdomen and chest, eventually causing the shirt to bunch up, resting just under the man’s arms.

Karl groaned as Stephen slipped his hand into Karl’s trousers, finding the slicked, soft opening they were seeking. He tried to help Stephen by kicking them off, and in the process pressed against the hand, creating just enough friction to be satisfying. 

Karl helped Stephen out of his trousers.

“Talk to me. I need to keep my wits about me,” Karl growled.

Karl took him in hand, a good size for an Alpha, but thankfully not too big. Stephen groaned.

“You’re kind of eager for someone who acts like this is torture,” Stephen teased.

“You’re kind of eager for someone who's been pressured into bonding.”

Stephen thrusted against Karl's hand, his eyes half closed, lost in the moment. He kept looking at Karl with a dreamy expression. 

“You think I don’t want this? Sure, it’s maybe not the way I would go about it, but… It’s not unpleasant.”

Karl pressed his hands against Stephen’s chest as the taller man positioned himself between Karl’s legs.

“What are you trying to say? You wanted to bond with me?”

“No, but I missed you,” Stephen replied.

They paused for a moment. 

“You don’t know, do you?” Stephen asked.

Karl felt two, then three fingers inside him. It had been a very long time since he had someone touch him there. It felt amazing, and it was getting harder to focus.

“Know?”

“I wanted you so badly Karl. How could you not know? All those times in the courtyard with your lessons. Didn’t you notice how tight my pants were compared to the others. They weren’t naturally made that way.”

Stephen’s voice sounded like honey from the lustful tone that it was dripping. Karl moaned as Stephen pressed his cock against his entrance. Karl was becoming impatient. 

“We were just sparring. It happens sometimes, physical touches between Omegas and Alphas,” Karl gasped.

“You were on suppressants, and I had no idea you were an Omega,” Stephen replied.

His head was spinning from the sensations and Stephen’s confession. Everything became more complex in that second, but it was hard to process, because he needed Stephen. His body cried out for him, and Karl needed him to complete his goals. 

When Stephen entered him, Karl made a noise he had never heard himself make before. It was somewhere between a moan and a keen. 

“I hate you so much sometimes. Why now? Why?” 

Various emotions welled up in him, and he remembered why others had always felt Omegas weak. Emotions were always the downfall of an Omega. It was always the point of all those novels and other stories he had heard. 

“I don’t know what else to say. I want this, just for different reasons.”

Stephen’s thrust began to slow as Karl felt the knot becoming larger. He knew he had to start the spell soon, and tried to quiet his mind. 

“Are you?” Stephen asked.

It almost sounded like panting.

“Shh. I need to start the spell.”

When Karl cast the spell, things were different. Everything seemed a bit more muted than his previous experiences having been knotted in his youth. There was a warmth that seemed to flow between them, and he barely felt it when Stephen came. It wasn’t dissatisfying, just different and more intimate in some ways.

However, it was incredibly awkward after the spell dissipated. Both of them would be joined together for a good half an hour at least. Karl at some point also seemed to have come from whatever had happened between them, creating a layer of stickiness on their bodies. 

When Stephen’s knot finally went down, and they were able to pull apart, they laid next to each other not speaking. Karl would normally be sleeping at this point, his body recovering from the experience, but he couldn’t with Stephen’s confession. The man had been pining for him, and that’s why he so easily agreed to the bonding, even though he knew that Karl had his problems with him. 

“I’m sorry,” Stephen said.

“Hmm?” 

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before. Everything became complicated that day with Kaecilius, and I tried to forget about it. It was hard when you came back. I knew that you didn’t want to see me, but we did need you. I had thought things would be different though.”

“You thought I would forget our discussions, and forgive your actions.”

“Well, yea.”

The room was silent for a little, until he heard Stephen’s breathing change. He had fallen asleep. It was a luxury that Karl was not allowed with his mind racing and his body preparing itself for the next round. Every part felt hotter, and he could feel the slight pulse of blood through his lower torso that started in his abdomen and spread lower. 

It took some time for Stephen to wake up, but it gave Karl time to at least calm down a little, and straighten himself out. He decided that Stephen’s confession did nothing to change anything. Although he had more insight into the man’s motivations, attachments at this point would just block his path, instead of furthering it. He wasn’t going to entertain the notion of making his relationship with Stephen better. Bonded or not, it didn’t matter in this age of medical advancements. 

“Must have dozed off,” Stephen replied. 

Karl handed him a glass of water, which he quickly emptied. 

“It will start again soon,” Karl said quietly.

“I thought so, otherwise I’m sure I’d still be sleeping.”

It was night in New York, and the room was dark, except for a few lamps and candles that Stephen must have lit before they started. It gave the room a ritualistic atmosphere, suitable for what they were doing.

Stephen gave him a sad smile. Karl closed his eyes, smelling the man’s scent. It was stronger than before, as their smells mixed together. He could never properly smell his own scent, but when their scents were mixed together, it reminded Karl of the coast. 

Before when Stephen’s scent was only attractive, it was easy to ignore, as they were focused on starting, but now it was intoxicating. Stephen must have felt the same, as he pushed Karl back down into a laying position on the bed. His nose pressed up against the gland at his neck, and Karl strained, pressing his body against Stephen's. He felt Stephen lick the area where his scent gland was.

“Do not bite me, or will make you live to regret it,” Karl panted.

“I won’t, just let me indulge for a minute,” He moaned.

Karl wasn’t going to protest, as his mouth felt good, especially on that spot. 

He felt Stephen's cock rub up against his hip, and Stephen reached down to touch Karl’s cock, stroking it a few times before his hand moved downward yet again. Karl brought his hips up in a better position for Stephen, grinding into the man, and drawing a gasp from him. His knot was probably becoming more sensitive as time went on. By the end of the heat, they both would not want to have anything to do with sex for a while.

Karl started getting lost in the wants of his body. 

“Do you want me to talk to you again?” Stephen asked.

“Want? No. Need? Yes.”

Karl took in Stephen’s scent, repeating Stephen's previous actions of tasting the area where the gland was.

“Am I doing okay? You know, you're not really telling me what you want.”

“By the Vishanti, just mount me already. There’s no need to woo me, I’m obviously not a wallflower.” Karl growled in response.

Although it was necessary to keep focused, Stephen kept saying the most irritating things, when the only thing Karl wanted was the man to fuck him so they could continue the ritual.

He felt Stephen enter him again, and much like before, it didn’t take long for the knot to begin to swell.

“Yes,  _ that’s _ what I need,” Karl said, a note of relief in his voice. 

They were almost there, with Stephen's thrust becoming more shallow and irregular.

“Shouldn't you start the spell?” Stephen asked breathlessly. 

“Yes. Thank you.”

Much like before, the atmosphere of the room changed, and it was comforting. At the same time there was an undercurrent that made the hairs on his arm stand up. It was slightly different than before, despite it being the same spell.

When the spell finished, Stephen stilled, and Karl looked up at him. His face looked slightly pained from something.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing.”

“No, it's something.”

Karl felt a pang of embarrassment for the way he had talked to Stephen before. The need outweighed everything else. 

“If you want something, or need me to do something, tell me. I’ve only read about this sort of thing in medical textbooks,” Stephen said. 

“I will… but you never read any Brontë or Shelly about this kind of thing?” Karl asked.

Although they were lesser respected works from the authors, they were still must reads on Karl’s book list. They had such good twist and turns. 

“I like nonfiction.”

Of course he read only nonfiction. The great dramas about Omega and Alpha nature would be lost on him. 

Karl turned to his side once they were apart. This time his mind allowed for some rest, and he was able to sleep a little before the next round. 

When he did wake up, Stephen handed him a glass of water. Karl looked at the clock. It was already the next day. Time seemed to suspend itself during the heat. The room also blocked out all light from the outside with its heavy dark drapes. 

“This time we must bond,” Karl said.

He said it more for himself than to remind Stephen. Had someone told Karl as a boy that he would be bonded to a man he didn't love, out of convenience to further his goals, he would have spat in their faces and ran away. He felt a little disgusted by himself, and he thought about how sometimes the apple didn't fall far from the tree. The only solace he could take in the situation was that it was his choice, and he was no one's pawn.

“Are you nervous?” Stephen asked.

“No. This won’t change anything. When we are finished, I will go back to using suppressants and you will go back to dating Betas.”

Stephen made a small noise of unease, and Karl chose to ignore him. 

“Tell me now if you want to stop,” Karl said.

He would be annoyed if Stephen changed his mind now, but he would never force Stephen to bond with him, so he had to ask.

“I’m in this. It’s not just important to you, but for the protection of the earth. If the Vishanti think you are worthy, who am I to reject you?” 

Karl looked at him, hardly believing this was his former student. He was becoming an impressive specimen in his own rights.

Karl tried to remove his more affectionate feelings from his thoughts. It would only cloud his judgement.

“Should we start?” Stephen asked.

Karl nodded, his body was frankly crying out to be touched. It was almost as if it instinctively knew it would be bonded. 

Then there was Stephen, his scent engulfing him again, and it was the most distracting thing in the world. Each time it was getting harder to focus, and harder to control his emotions. It was harder to distinguish the hormones from his true feelings. 

“Do you know what you smell like?”

Even Stephen could tell he was struggling this time. It must be the peak of his heat.

“No.”

“You smell like waves of the ocean after a storm, crashing upon rocks. Not someplace warm, but someplace like the New England coast.” 

Karl moaned as Stephen's hands moved along his body. 

“What do I smell like?”

“Like Sandalwood, and orange… some lavender.”

Stephen groaned as he positioned himself. It was going to be quick, as the need rolled through both of them. 

“I hate sandalwood and lavender,” Stephen said.

Stephen entered him, tearing a lustful sound from Karl’s lips. 

“It's earthy and basic, not unpleasant.”

Karl tried to pay attention to where they were at. 

“You’ll need to bond with me in the middle of the spell,” Karl reminded him. 

Stephen nodded, his face scrunched up in concentration. He really looked like he was taking everything seriously. 

When he started to slow again, and Karl started the spell, he felt Stephen licking him at his scent gland. It would have been distracting, if Karl hadn’t said the words a thousand times over and over in his head.

He felt Stephen suck at the spot before he bit down. He may have drawn a bit of blood, and but Karl was unsure, as he was preoccupied with the spell. It felt glorious, like it was proper sexual magic from the ancient texts.It really did feel like worlds could be changed with the power between them.

Stephen soon stilled, but continued to sooth the mark he had made. Karl could smell and feel the changes. They were heightened by the magic that hung in the air. He barely registered any other feeling.

“Do you think it’s normally like that?” Stephen asked, when his senses started to return again. 

“No. It’s the magic.” 

“Are we supposed to feel different?”

“Do you?” Karl asked.

He didn't feel all that different, only sore and tired. He also knew that if he didn't leave in the next few hours, he would probably wind up in the same position again. 

“A little. It’s like an awakening.”

It made more sense now. He was just reacting to the loss of his Alpha virginity. Karl felt a little bad about that, because he did believe the first time should be special. Maybe Karl was too sentimental from all those novels he had read. 

When they were finally physically free from one another, they laid there for a few minutes before Karl got up. 

“Thank you Stephen,” He mumbled, putting on his clothes. 

He would shower at Kamar-Taj in his quarters, where he could be comfortable and far away from the overpowering smells that intertwined in the room. It would not be easy to overcome the rest of his heat alone, but the satisfaction of completing his task would carry him through the remaining day. Life could then return to normal as Karl waited to be summoned by the Vishanti. 

“You can stay if you want,” Stephen offered.

“I have things to do.”

Karl didn’t look back as he left the room. 

\----

The next time he saw Stephen was in front of the Vishanti. He had no idea why they were there together, unless it was some trick. It would not be the first time he would be passed over for an Alpha in his life.

“We are pleased with your performance Karl Mordo, and grant you the title of Sorcerer Supreme,” Oshtur the Omnipotent began.

“However, this was not a task for only one,” Agamotto the All-Seeing continued.

“And so a boon must be granted to the one who has assisted in your endeavors,” Hoggoth the Hoary finished.

Karl and Stephen looked at each other. It was a surprising, but not a terrible twist of events. He had honestly worried that they would give the title to Stephen over him at the last minute. 

Karl looked over at Stephen. The man seemed perplexed by the experience.

“I have no desire for a boon,” Stephen replied. 

“Your request may be filled at anytime, as long as it follows the natural laws. Do you agree to this Karl Mordo?” Oshtur the Omnipotent asked.

“Of course,” he replied with a slight bow.

“Great are your skills, and therefore so are your responsibilities,” Agamotto the All-Seeing reminded him.

With that, they disappeared. 

The two mortal men stood in silence for a few minutes. An uneasiness settled between them, as they now knew Karl had a debt to pay, and the bill would always come due.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next part Stephen will name his boon.


	2. Pregnancy

It didn't make sense. Kark should not be going through his heat again, as he had begun taking suppressants after he bonded. It was mystifying, and he needed answers. Karl decided it would be best if he sent for Stephen, as he was the only doctor he felt he could trust with these things. He didn't want to risk his privacy being trampled on. Even though the village had an doctor he could go to, Karl didn’t trust the man with this kind of thing.

It took some time before Stephen came, making Karl edgy about the upcoming heat. Even though the last time was not as difficult as he thought it would be, he did not want to repeat the experience.

“You summoned?”

It was the first time they saw each other since they had bonded. In that time, Karl had been acknowledged by their peers as the Sorcerer Supreme, and had taken up his duties at Kamar-Taj. A lot of it entailed coordinating, maintaining, and promoting uniform practices. Occasionally, he also got to do magic when he wasn't delegating.

Karl turned to Stephen, speaking frankly.

“I've been taking suppressants, but as I’m sure you can tell, they’ve stopped working, and I want to know why.”

Stephen looked at him with trepidation.

“There’s the possibility of fluctuations in hormone levels after a long periods of suppressant use. The other explanation is pregnancy.”

There was silence for a few moments. Karl closed his eyes.

“You weren't taking any birth control products were you?”

Stephen furrowed his brow.

“Why would I be?”

Karl put his head in his hands. He had assumed Stephen was. Most sexually active Alphas took something, as their seed was more potent and traditional birth control would fail with female Beta partners.

“I thought you were seeing someone. On the log, there’s been a woman who comes to the sanctum every weekend,” Karl said.

“My librarian? She’s been helping catalogue the library, because I helped her with some mind maggots.”

Karl sighed. He was stupid. He had been so greedily thinking about becoming Sorcerer Supreme, and neglected to check on all these details. When the Vishanti had given him the task, he had only been thinking about that. Remembering what they had said, he realized the true meaning of the Vishanti’s task.

“Damn it.”

Stephen sat down in the chair across from Karl.

“The Vishanti said they wanted the products of bonding. I thought they meant the energy or power from it. How could I be so stupid.” Karl groaned.

Stephen seemed to understand the implications immediately. How Karl missed it was beyond him.

“What could the Vishanti want with children?”

Karl took a second to think about everything the Vishanti had said.

“They had told me the products of bonding would usher in a golden era. It was a partial  prophecy contained in the task they had given me. They would ensure that I would become pregnant with their litany of spells.”

They sat in silence. Karl didn’t know how to process the information. It was never his intention to bear children. At his age, it was probably the last chance he would get, but it was a frightening prospect. He didn’t want to be responsible for another life, especially since his own life was so unpredictable. At the same time, how could he not raise a child that would usher in a golden era? It would be his own flesh and blood.

“You'll have to stop the suppressants. The heats during pregnancy are different, and I wouldn't recommend going through this alone. It’s your choice though. I mean, do you want to keep it?”

His voice was cautious and soft.

“Yes.”

It was the truth. He owed at least that to the man.

Stephen paused, “The only thing I want is to be a part of its life.”

“Of course. I’m not a monster Stephen. I didn’t think it would be like this, and I can't say I’m over the moon, but I’m not so terrible that I would keep a parent from their child.”

Karl shut his eyes, trying not to think of the pain of his own childhood. When he opened them, Stephen stood over him and pressed his fingers against his wrist. He felt the man’s slight shakes.

“Do you feel nauseous?”

“No, just overwhelmed.”

“Although the suppressants probably won't hurt the baby at this point, it may cause you to feel all the possible side effects of the drugs during your pregnancy heat, including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, um, and the others. Once it's out of your system you should be fine.”

“Did you forget the others?” Karl asked, smiling slyly.

“I was a neurosurgeon, so I normally didn't rattle off symptoms of medication for Omegas.”

He could tell Stephen was smelling their scents together more than trying to check on Karl’s health. He couldn't blame him, as he was doing the same.

“Now that your Sorcerer Supreme, there’s nothing more important than your safety. You could come to the Sanctum, so I can keep an eye on things. I also know that you feel uncomfortable during your heat here,” Stephen suggested.

Karl shook his head.

“I will be fine here,” Karl reassured him.

Stephen reluctantly left him alone as Karl thought about the future. He almost regretted his decision to become Sorcerer Supreme, but he couldn't quite regret it. He was still rather satisfied and pleased with how far he had come. His diligence and persistence had paid off. In all honesty, there was no one else who understood what it took to be Sorcerer Supreme, except for perhaps Master Hamir, who was content with being a master at Kamar-Taj. The only real problem with being Sorcerer Supreme now was this new challenge of bringing a child into the world. However, after considering it, he came to admit he was not alone in this. He felt relieved thinking of Stephen's words about wanting to be in the child's life. He was glad that the man was not angry at the irresponsible nature of Karl’s actions.

It was at that point that Karl started to realize that he may have been too harsh on Stephen before, about everything. In the past few months, Karl neglected so many different necessary steps and parts, much like Stephen's journey to becoming the man he was today. It was unfair of him to think poorly of his former pupil.

When the heat came upon him the next day,  everything that Stephen said would come to pass happened, and then more. His body’s need to be touched and soothed became secondary to the violent, debilitating sickness that overtook him. By the third hour, he had nothing left inside of him, and the dizziness made him delirious when combined with the fever from the heat. He felt chills and pains in his stomach he had not felt since that one time he had eaten some bad fish as a child.

Karl drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the afternoon. By night his mind was playing tricks on him. He wasn't quite sure where he was. One minute he was in his rooms in Kamar-Taj, the next he was in London or Transylvania. Sometime before the next morning, he felt himself being wrapped up, like some dumpling. Then he was in the sea, or was it a lake? He was surrounded by driftwood, or on a boat? It was all confusing, like he had slipped into one of Nightmare's illusions. All he knew was that it started to get warm again, not cold or hot, and he felt protected even in open waters.

Eventually when he woke again, he was pressed against Stephen, who had wrapped him tightly in a robe, and slept soundly. Karl looked around and felt something pull at his arm. He had an IV attached to him, and he was nude under the robe. Whatever happened in the night, he had no real  recollection, just snippets from the delusion.

Karl took a deep breath, smelling Stephen's scent. It was comforting and calming, and although his body ached from the lack of touch, his heart felt more at ease.

“Hey,” Stephen murmured.

“I’m guessing this is you?” Karl asked.

He raised his arm with the IV in it. Stephen took it out as the bag was empty.

“You hit the jackpot of all symptoms. I had to give you an ice bath to cool you down. I hope you don’t mind,” Stephen said.

Karl smiled weakly at him, closing his eyes. Need coursed through his veins, despite his lingering weakness from all the side effects.

“Could you touch me?” Karl asked.

“I am… Oh, you mean _touch_ you.”

Karl let out a small laugh.

Stephen wrapped himself around Karl, resting his head at the place on his neck where they had bonded. His tongue began to trace the scarring on the area, as his hands slithered downward to where Karl was already slick and waiting. Stephen pressed his growing erection against Karl’s backside. Sliding his fingers into Karl, Stephen moved to kiss him.

“No,” Karl told him firmly.

“I’ve been inside you, my fingers are inside you now,” Stephen said.

“It's just the heat. It doesn't change how I feel.”

“Okay, okay, I won’t press you for a kiss again.”

He trusted Stephen, but he also knew that Stephen believed he could wear Karl down to accept him for more intimacy. However, he didn't think of Stephen in that way.

“Can I at least taste your heat?”

Karl hadn’t thought about those kinds of things. It was not normally talked about. He nodded, as Stephen gently positioned both of them for comfort.

Then he felt Stephen hesitantly taste him, his tongue pressed against his slick hole. Karl heard him groan, and felt him become more confident in his administrations. It was like his body had a mind of its own during his heat, and it wanted more, moving closer to the source of its pleasure.

This time there were no spells and no reason not to get lost in Stephen’s care. Karl felt free for the first time in a long time, and barely registered when Stephen moved from his hole to his cock. The man was gifted with his tongue in many ways, and Karl felt himself coming much sooner than he wanted. His body felt like it was on fire, partially from his heat, and partially from the adverse reaction to the suppressants.

“Can I?” Stephen asked.

Karl had no idea what he had asked before that, but judging how he was hovering over him, he probably wanted to knot into him.

“Yes.”

It hurt and burned a little this time. Without the various spells, everything was more raw, but it felt wonderful. It was that little bit of edge he needed, and when Stephen's knot began to expand, it became overwhelming. His body enjoyed it, and he became hard again.

Stephen stopped for a moment, probably in reaction to the hiss that Karl had made moments before.

“Don’t stop,” Karl pleaded.

Stephen started to move again, slowly and in short strokes. Karl tried to coax him to move a little more and deeper. He didn’t seem to take the hint. Eventually, it became impossible for the man to move at all as he came. Karl could feel Stephen come inside him this time.

Stephen wrapped his hand around Karl’s hardness, stroking him to completion once more as they waited for the knot to deflate. His second orgasm was not surprising, as he had read about heats in pregnancy and their potency. It was the reason why the suppressants failed.

When they finished, they laid there together in Karl’s bed, only their breathing breaking the silence.

“I want to name my boon now,” Stephen said.

“And?”

“I want you to live in the Sanctum during your pregnancy.”

“Of all the stupid, wastes of a boon.”

“Not to me, and it's my boon.”

“Fine. Granted.”

He was too tired to argue, so Karl turned over away from Stephen, letting sleep take him once again.

\----

It was easier than he thought it would be. He and Stephen had nearly opposite schedules, and for most of the time Karl was still at Kamar-Taj, at least for the day. Karl had the excuse of the New York Sanctum being on such a different schedule from the Hong Kong Sanctum, as well as Kamar-Taj, where he was needed the most. He would only be at the New York Sanctum full time near his heats. During the few hours of the night that Stephen did sleep, Karl was also able to host people in Stephen’s office without interruption.

He kicked his boots up on the desk and leaned back in the chair, listening to Wong.

“I think you two deserve each other. It’s amusing to see how your greed has gotten you into this predicament,” Wong teased.

Karl smiled while shaking his head.

“I don’t know whether to laugh at the Vishanti or curse them. It’s my own damn fault, and now I will be tied to the man for the rest of my days, in more ways than one.”

Karl went silent, thinking about the events of the past two months.

“You know if you stop fighting it, you may find yourself with a competent partner in more ways than one.”

Sometimes Wong was condescending in his advice, but it was one of the reasons Karl could appreciate him. He never minced words or flattered him when it wasn't deserved.

“He is not the same as before, but he still has that same arrogance. It’s why he wasted his boon, just wanting to keep me under thumb.”

Wong shook his head.

“I think you misunderstand his intentions. He’s self-involved for sure, but he doesn't have that in him.”

“Here I thought you were _my_ friend.”

Karl sighed.

“I am, and as _your_ friend, I’m telling you to stop fighting yourself. Tell me Karl, why did you even bring Strange into Kamar-Taj in the first place?”

Karl shrugged. He knew why, but he never told anyone, not even the Ancient One when he first brought the man to her. The first thing he noticed about Stephen was his desperation. He looked like he was on his last legs, and talked like a man who had nothing to lose. Karl knew that kind of man would only excel, much like his younger self. It was better for everyone in the end. Even Karl had to admit that.

“On a whim,” Karl lied.

“And you wondered why Strange would bind himself to you.”

Karl was tiring of the conversation. He didn’t want to think about Stephen's motivations anymore. He wanted to move forward with his duties.

“You know this Sanctum is the most troublesome of the three. I can’t remember the last time it had a Master for so long,” Wong ventured.

“Stephen does things here adequately. I’ve never denied that,” Karl conceded.

“It might do him some good if you tell him.”

Karl furrowed his brow at Wong.

“Stop meddling so much. You’re becoming like her.”

They didn’t talk about her. He didn't talk about her with anyone. If he could help it, he didn't spend the energy to even think about the former Sorcerer Supreme.

They heard the door open, and Stephen walked in. It was about five in the morning, and, he probably only had slept four, maybe five hours.

“Sorry, didn't know you were here. Just need a book,” Stephen mumbled.

Karl had become used to his smell and his habits by this point. He watched Stephen as he picked out a book from the bookcase and walked back out again.

“Is there something wrong with him?” Wong asked.

“No idea,” Karl lied.

Eventually after Wong and him discussed some matters involving the Hong Kong Sanctum, Wong left and Karl went to go look for Stephen. Sometimes he did seek out the man, normally on the pretense of talking business, but in reality he was starting to enjoy the man’s company. At times it seemed like the old days when Stephen was first learning.

Karl found Stephen in the library with the book he had gotten. He looked tired, and was concentrating on some movements he was reading in a passage. It was impressive how he much of a true scholar he was. He was academic in ways that most students could never match. Even Karl could not match his fervour. He always enjoyed the more physical aspects of his work.

He ran his hand over Stephen's shoulder, his fingers slowly moving over the crook of his neck. It was getting close to his heat again, and after their last session, Karl was beginning to relax more around Stephen. He didn't normally touch him in this way, but he knew Stephen sensed the coming heat. The weirdness in Stephen’s office came from Stephen sensing Karl’s emerging needs. They hadn’t talked about it when Karl first came and moved into an empty bedroom, but Karl thought it was a given he would want to rut.

“Don't tease me,” Stephen pleaded.

Karl tilted his head to the side, and looked at the man’s downcast expression.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

He removed his hand from Stephen’s body.

“It’s not easy for me to have you here, when you clearly dislike me. The only reason you are here is so that I can help monitor your health for the sake of our child.”

Karl was surprised. He didn't really dislike Stephen at this point. He just disliked the decreased autonomy he had before and implications of being bonded. He disagreed with his use of a boon in order to monitor Karl, but he couldn't fault him for his protective feelings.

Karl realized that he once again had skipped too many steps to get to this point. He sat across from Stephen and looked him straight in his eyes.

“I am grateful to you, but let’s not pretend that any of this is romantic. Bonding and being enslaved to one's heats are not something I envisioned for myself. I do not dislike you Stephen, otherwise I would have never asked you to bond with me. But do I like every aspect of your personality? Of course not, but you can say the same about me.”

The other man took Karl’s words in for consideration. His face expressively reflecting his thinking process and confusion. “I can’t understand your motivations sometimes,” Stephen replied.

“Likewise.”

Karl weakly smiled at him. When they saw eye to eye things went smoothly, but when they got off track it seemed more trouble than it's worth.

Then came the awkward pause that normally followed their more serious discussions.

“How’s the nausea?” Stephen asked, breaking the silence.

“Same as before, mostly the worst is in the mid afternoon. It’s harder to keep things down these days.”

Stephen nodded.

“You really want this don’t you?” Karl asked.

“Of course.”

“At first I thought it was out of a sense of responsibility and obligation, but you really want a child.”

They went silent, as he seemed to strike a nerve. Both of them had past lives, and abandoned hopes and dreams they never talked about. Obviously Stephen wasn’t going out impregnating people, but he seemed less weary about the pregnancy then Karl was. Maybe it was something he had desired, but had never let himself dream of it.

“Don’t you?” Stephen finally asked.

It was a loaded question.

“Great are your skills, and therefore so are your responsibilities, or so Agamotto said.”

“I was there,” Stephen reminded him.

His tone was gentle, and he had seemed to learn some patience over the past year.

Responsibility- That’s what he thought of children. It was a frightening prospect, but he knew that he would not be alone, and he would not make the same errors that his own family had made. Although he hated being bonded and having to go through his heats, he was grateful that it was with Stephen. If Stephen had said no, he didn't want to think of the reaction he would have gotten from the other, less suitable candidates.

“I am anxious. I don’t think I can be a good parent,” Karl confessed.

“Why?”

Karl knew he was genuinely curious, but he asked too much with that question, so he only shrugged.

“Come on, you can tell me. It’s not like I’ll laugh.”

“Are you so confident in your abilities?”

There was an edge to his voice that warned Stephen not to press him any further.

“No, but I will give it all of my effort.”

Karl got up out of his chair, stretching out and closing his eyes. The nausea was hitting him again. It was not as bad as it could be, it was still draining. When he opened his eyes again, Stephen was standing up in front of him.

“If you don’t feel well, you should lay down.”

“I have many things to do in the next few days before my heat. I need to visit the London Sanctum, as they have a new master again that needs to be settled. Don’t wait up.”

“Good luck.”

Karl had learned to endure the nausea and vomiting. Even though it was unpleasant, most were understanding of the situation. Very few people knew the actual details, but by this point most knew that Karl was expecting and had bonded with another sorcerer. Only Wong knew who that sorcerer was.

Karl was going to keep it that way if he could help it. Stephen also needed his privacy and time to prove himself. He didn't need any snide whispers about being bonded with Karl, as much as Karl didn’t need to have whispers that he was under an Alpha’s influence.

It was all a delicate balance, and except for the few bumps in his personal life, it was going pretty smoothly. For some reason, he felt that would change sooner rather than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part is the last part + an epilogue.


	3. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final part.

Karl laid back in the bed as Stephen looked at the monitor. Stephen didn't share where he got the equipment, and Karl wasn’t going to ask. The only thing Karl wished for at this moment was to learn that the child was healthy. Although they talked about learning the sex, he hadn’t really thought about it, as he didn't really care either way.

His heart stopped as he looked at Stephen's face. Something was not right, as the man’s brow furrowed and his head tilted slightly to the side. He bit his lip, causing Karl to slightly panic.

“What? What is it?” He barked.

“It’s nothing bad, I think.”

Stephen looked again closely.

“There are two.”

Karl closed his eyes as his mind flooded with panic. No wonder he thought he was showing a little more than he should be, and the nausea seemed to more severe than with others. The first few months had gone from tolerable to downright horrible in the span of days. It had only recently seem to let up, but the heartburn remained. Sometimes Karl thought he was being punished for all his past indiscretions with this pregnancy.

After he and Stephen had finished, Karl sat up, and he tried to keep calm from the news. Too much stress would increase his blood pressure, making it bad for the babies. It was more overwhelming than first discovering he was pregnant.

He looked over at Stephen, who was straightening things up. Looking at Karl, Stephen smiled weakly.

“Well, this was an interesting development. You’ll have to make some dietary changes, and we will have to monitor you more closely.”

Karl remained silent. So many thoughts ran through his head, and the last thing he wanted was more monitoring.

“They did this on purpose,” He gritted out.

“Who?”

“The Vishanti. They must have done something to influence this. They had said products, as in the plural form, more than one.”

Stephen shrugged.

“If they did, it doesn't change the result. We need to think about the future.”

Karl narrowed his eyes.

“This is so easy for you. It is not your body, nor has your life been so severely altered by this.”

Stephen looked appalled by Karl’s statement.

“Please continue and inform me how my life has not been altered by your proposition. Maybe I am not pregnant, but I am not a free man either. I had agreed to bind myself to you, but everything after that point...”

They went silent. Karl didn’t feel like indulging him, concerned only with his own self pity at the moment.

“Poor Stephen Strange, bound to the Sorcerer Supreme he impregnated.”

Stephen got up.

“I don’t need this,” he said.

He left, not looking behind. Karl sighed. He couldn't help himself, and he knew he royally messed up. He shouldn't have snapped at Stephen, and immediately regretted it.

Karl placed his hands on his stomach, feeling a little less stressed, but much more depressed about the situation. It seemed more real now. He had two children he had to care for, and it made it two times more scary. Not to mention with one baby there were a litany of complications and dangers, but with two there were even more. With his age, it would be more dangerous to his health as well. And here he was alienating an ally that he needed with his sharp tongue. It was less than ideal. He needed someone to help him.

When he next saw Wong at the Hong Kong Sanctum, he only laughed at Karl and his situation.

“Serves you right,” Wong chided.

“I know. I haven't seen him in three days. He’s been avoiding me and passive aggressively leaving me instructions on my health.”

“You're both like children. It will be interesting to see how your kids turn out.”

“Don’t remind me.”

He had been thinking about that, their children and the future for them. How Karl was going to be the Sorcerer Supreme and a parent was beyond him. Now with Stephen mad and hurt by him, it made him feel unsteady. He knew that the man would not abandon his children, but it would be so easy to walk away. He also thought of his own family's history, as he didn't really know how to make a functioning family unit.

Karl felt Wong’s hand on his shoulder. He looked up at his friend.

“I can face demons and fight with powerful sorcerers, but I don’t know if I can do this.”

He buried his head in his hands.

“Swallow your pride and seek him out,” Wong urged.

“Sometimes I wish you were an Alpha,” Karl laughed bitterly.

“No, I would never bind myself with you. I’d rather bind myself with Strange.”

He said it jokingly, but there was a hint of truth to it. Who would willingly bind themselves with Karl?

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Stephen will understand, but he will not start the conversation. He avoids confrontation. It’s why he sneaks around so much.”

“He sneaks around because he doesn't feel he needs to consult with anyone.”

“Because he doesn't want a disagreement.”

“Because he thinks he knows what’s best.”

The truth was probably somewhere in the middle.

“You two really deserve each other. Speaking of which, isn’t your curfew soon?”

Karl smiled at the jab. He didn't really have a curfew, but they did have a more formal agreement that Karl would spend a certain percentage of his time at the New York Sanctum. Wong found the whole thing humorous. It was probably the most fun he had at Karl’s expense in years.

“I guess I should be going.”

He stood up, stretching his back. Wong looked at the bump in his clothes.

“You need new robes. You can’t keep wearing your robes from when you were a Master. It may be a good time to get new ones now.”

Karl frowned. He was trying to push it off for as long as possible. He wasn't quite comfortable with people seeing him in his current state, but he also knew he couldn't keep wearing the same clothes as before. Everything was tighter day by day. It was going to be embarrassing soon, as he took a great pride in his appearance.

When he returned to the Sanctum he thought about seeking Stephen out, but decided against it. He didn't even know how to begin the conversation. However, he hadn't needed to seek Stephen out, as Stephen was in the hallways talking with a young woman. She was holding a large pile of books saying something to Stephen. Her scent was strong, and she must have smelled him, as she stopped talking and immediately turned to look at him. A look of recognition came across her face. She probably smelled him in the Sanctum before. “You’re quite late today,” Stephen remarked.

“There have been some disturbances in Hong Kong recently.”

He seemed pensive and the air was tense. Stephen came closer to him.

“You should be careful.”

“Don’t worry. I won't go out and take care of it myself unless Wong can't handle it alone. Just like here,” Karl replied.

He hesitated for a moment. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't say it in front of the young woman.

“We should talk later,” Karl said.

“Is there something wrong? Are you okay?”

Worry rolled off of the man as he asked those questions. Karl’s heart skipped a beat.  Both Stephen's concern and Karl’s reaction was unexpected. Had he not been in the middle of his cycle, he might have assumed that he was starting his heat early, but there was no chance for that.

“Yes. Nothing serious,” Karl replied.

He passed by them, and didn’t look back, even though he knew both of them were looking at him. He decided it was best to wait in the study, as Stephen’s ‘librarian’ would most likely be in the library. He had smelled her scent faintly before, but after bonding, it was much weaker than Stephen’s. Stephen probably had no idea though.

Stephen was not expecting him to be there when he walked in.

“You should really carry your own books,” Karl teased.

“She insists. Why did you want to talk to me?”

“I wanted to apologize for the way I talked to you a few days ago. I was unkind, and was only thinking of my own situation.”

“Yes you were.”

Stephen's expression was hard and stoic.  

“I came to the realization that what I have ask and done to you is unfair. You also did not expect this outcome. I just hope you can forgive me, because I need you.”

Stephen seemed to consider it, and Karl watched him carefully for any hints to what he was feeling.

“You need me?”

“Of course. I have needed you since the day I tied myself to you and we created these children.”

Karl touched his stomach. He stood up and walked over to Stephen, grabbing Stephen's hand to put on his stomach. It was a little manipulative, but he needed Stephen to understand.

“There won’t be any movement for a few weeks yet, even then I won’t be able to feel it at first,” Stephen mentioned.

“I know. I’ve been reading those books you gave me.”

Stephen looked in his eyes, and his chest felt a little tighter from the butterflies in his stomach. Something had changed. It may have been the hormones, or his worries, or just from the bond being strengthened from the few heats they had passed together, but Karl felt like he was beginning to fall in love with Stephen.

“If you have more questions you can ask me. I’ve been reading up on pregnancies in male Omegas.”

All of his questions had nothing to do with the pregnancy, just with their future.

“You’re not near your heat are you?” Stephen asked.

Karl shook his head.

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Normally you don’t stand so close, and touch me unless you near your heat, but It’s only been about two weeks from your last one.”

Karl felt that it was the right moment, and he tilted his head slightly up as he pressed his lips against Stephen's. Stephen's hand was still on his stomach, as they deepened their kiss. The slightly taller man groaned into Karl’s mouth as they pressed together. Karl broke the kiss soon after.

“Wow. I… Since when have you felt that way?” Stephen asked.

Karl shrugged. He knew it felt like they were doing everything backwards. Even though they had made children together, it was their first kiss.

There was a knock on the door that interrupted them. The young woman from before stuck her head in, eyes wide.

“One of your books is trying to eat the others, or I think that’s what it’s trying to do. You may want to come,” She said.

“Yes. I will be there shortly.”

Stephen sighed, and she closed the door.

“I’m going to bed, but if you manage to get your books in order, you’re more than welcome to join me.”

He knew Stephen wouldn't be able to resist the invitation. When Stephen left, he went to his rooms and disrobed before he climbed into bed. He waited for maybe half an hour before Stephen came down. He stayed under the covers as it was fall, and much cooler in the day time. He watched Stephen get undressed in what must have almost been a record speed. Stephen seemed to have lost weight since leaving Kamar-Taj, but he was still pleasing to look at.

“Is your book under control?” Karl asked.

“It’s subdued for now.”

As soon as he slid next to Karl, Karl smoothed his hands over Stephen's chest. Stephen pressed his mouth to Karl’s, parting his lips so their tongues could slide against one another. Karl gasped as Stephen's thumbs rubbed over his nipples, which had grown sensitive since he had stop taking the suppressants. His chest was also sore from the changes his body was going through. It felt good to touch another person and want to, instead of needing to do it. It had been a long time since Karl had slept with someone. Stephen stopped kissing him to look at him.

“I never thought you would think of me like this. Can you fuck me? I want you inside me,” Stephen asked.

Karl groaned. It was perfect.

“Yes. I thought you’d want to top, but this is better.”

Normally the Alphas he had been with always like to top, and that was one of the reasons he didn't particularly like Alphas. Stephen was a little different in some ways, maybe because he had always dated Betas.

Karl wrapped his hand around Stephen's cock stroking him at a leisurely pace, just enough to keep him interested. Sometime before Stephen had climbed into bed, he had put some lubricant off to the side, and now he handed it to Karl. They kissed as Karl prepared him. It took some time, as Stephen was tight, the ring of muscle seemed to resist with every finger from the first one, so Karl knew it would take some time. He moved his fingers in and out at a leisurely pace, scissoring him open and occasionally brushing his prostate. It was delightful to hear the man’s moans, even when they were muffled by Karl’s mouth. Karl wondered if he was like this during his heat, writhing and begging for more with such beautiful movements.

And although it wasn't near his heat, Karl was aroused by the mixing of their scents as Stephen slowly lowered himself down on Karl’s cock. When they came together, it was beautiful to see. Stephen looked at him, and he looked at Stephen. Then Karl continued to stroke Stephen as he set a pace for them. Karl thrusted to match Stephen's movements, and felt incredibly aroused watching his own cock disappear and reappear each time.

He wished he could slow time, wanting the feeling to last much longer.

When Stephen was close, he bent forward, kissing Karl sloppily. Karl thrusted hard as Stephen came all over his stomach. Karl soon followed, coming inside Stephen.

They stilled for a moment, and Karl was glad that he was not in heat and they didn't have to deal with Stephen's knot. Although his stomach was an absolute mess, he could deal with the much more easily than being tied to someone for half an hour.

Karl ran his finger through the mess on his stomach, and brought it up to his mouth as Stephen watched.

“Not bad,” he teased.

Stephen kissed him again, as he moved off of Karl.

“By the Vishanti, you look so beautiful,” Stephen murmured.

Karl smirked at the expression, by the Vishanti indeed.

“Shouldn't you get back to work?” Karl asked.

“Is that an order?” Stephen asked cheekily.

“No, but you’ll have to shower first. Not only do you reek of sex, I’m sure your librarian will be very surprised to smell me on you much more strongly than before.”

“Huh?”

“Your librarian is an Alpha. That’s why she kept looking at me like that. She could smell our mixed scents,” Karl teased.

“Oh. That’s why she was acting so weird after we bonded.”

“Funny how those things work.”

Sometimes Karl wondered how Alphas and Omegas survived in the world before suppressants.

“You should join me,” Stephen suggested.

He helped Karl out of bed, as they both went to take a shower

\----

As Karl’s pregnancy progressed, he had good days and bad days. When they felt the babies kicking for the first time it was miraculous, but every day after that, it got annoying. His heats were tedious exercises in patience by this point, and took too much time out from his busy schedule. As he approached his next heat, and the seventh month mark, he was forced to wear robes that were not his usual style. Thankfully the clothes maker had been able to alter them, so they at least looked sensible enough to wear after the birth as well. She had mentioned something about modeling them after ancient tang dynasty clothing, but he didn’t care as long as they were comfortable and looked ambiguous enough so that people wouldn't stare at his bump rather than look him in the face. He already had enough awkward run ins with Stephen’s librarian to last a lifetime. Stephen had remarked how he should be proud, and not care what people thought, but the reality was he was in a position where he had to play a part. He was the Sorcerer Supreme after all, and people had an image of what a Sorcerer Supreme looked like.

He waited for Stephen to come back from whatever business he had outside of the Sanctum, but he didn’t come. It didn’t bother him at first, but as his heat drew closer, it was unsettling. He hadn’t gone through a heat without Stephen yet, even though he knew he could. However, as the pregnancy continued, he found his hormones made him more and more insatiable during his heat, despite the misery it also brought.

He worried for the man’s safety as well, but he kept telling himself Stephen was a more than competent sorcerer.

“When he comes, we will have to punish him for making us wait,” Karl said to his stomach.

With every hour that passed, he felt his body becoming more needy. It was more, and more uncomfortable with each month of pregnancy. He already had a litany of complaints from the physical difficulties of normal life as he had grown to nearly as big as a house,

Stephen still wasn’t back when it really, truly began. Karl tossed and turned in the bed, trying his best to ignore the urges. Had he known, he would have tried to prepare accordingly, procuring objects that would help him through it. On top of it, the twins seemed to be reacting negatively to the experience as well. He started to worry for their safety more than Stephen’s or even his own.

Eventually he heard a knock on the door. He rushed over to the door, even though he knew it was not Stephen. He opened it just a crack to see it was the librarian.

“Umm. I can’t help but, um, well, here. It’s my grandmother’s recipe. It’s an ancient mixture from Trinidad that’s supposed to help with these kinds of things. Good for pregnancy,” She said placing the tray on the floor.

“Where is he?” Karl asked.

He tried to keep the strain from his voice, even though it was difficult.

“He said something about Tony Stark and Wakanda? But you didn’t hear it from me.”

Karl was pissed. Stephen should not be in Wakanda, as any disturbances in that area would fall under the jurisdiction of the London Sanctum. He obviously had not been thinking, and probably trying to strengthen his bromance he had going on with Stark. He could kill both of them at this point.

He closed the door after he saw the girl scurry away. He opened it again to take the drink she had placed for him, and drank it. It had an unpleasant medicinal taste, but at this point he was willing to try anything.

Karl went back to the bed, and shut his eyes, trying to block out everything. At that moment, he hated Stephen Strange with every fiber of his being. Here he was, alone, scared, going through his heat, and Stephen was god knows where, doing god knows what. He especially hated him for making Karl fall in love with him. At that moment, under the duress of the situation, it was the most humiliating aspect of the whole thing. Stephen had driven him to quiet tears of frustration.

Karl wrapped his hands around his stomach, trying to gain some comfort that he was actually not alone. Thankfully, whatever the girl gave him helped relieve his symptoms enough so that he could rest. He closed his eyes for a moment.

He must have dozed off for a moment, because when he opened them again, Stephen was entering the room.

“I could kill you,” Karl growled.

“I’m so, so, so sorry. Really, really sorry. I didn’t think it would take as long as it did.”

Stephen looked a mess. His hair was all over the place, and his clothes had stains and tatters from whatever he had been doing. Stephen removed his clothing as fast as he could, climbing into the bed behind Karl.

“Are you mad?” Stephen asked.

“I’m not going to dignify that question with an answer.”

Stephen buried his face into Karl’s shoulder.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.”

Karl groaned from the touch, and the relief that poured over him. Stephen reached around to put his hand on Karl’s stomach, feeling one of the twins kicking. Emotions welled up in him, and he felt tears stream down his face again. He had cried more in one day than in the last ten years of his life. It was the hormones and the situation, or so he tried to tell himself. Whatever the truth was, it didn’t matter at this point.

Stephen nudge him so they he could see Karl’s face. Karl shut his eyes in response, breathing in as steadily as was possible.

“I… I should have been here. I don’t know how to fix this.”

“The worst part of all of this wasn’t the physical pain and exhaustion from the lack of relief. The worst part was coming to realize the person you love, will not always be there for you. Something I have known forever, and yet somehow had forgotten in the past few months.”

“I would have been here sooner, if I hadn’t run into some problems. You know that.”

Karl opened his eyes to glare at him.

“And where were you exactly?”

“Wakanda.”

“And where is Wakanda?”

“Is this a trick question?” Stephen asked.

“No, answer me. Where is Wakanda?”

“Africa…”

“And which is closer, New York or London?”

“London…”

He looked sheepish as he came to understand the point of Karl’s questioning. Stephen made things so much messier in the span of a day. Over the past few months, Karl thought he was separating his feelings from his duties, but now he understood, everything interfered with each other. As the Sorcerer Supreme, he was pissed that Stephen had disregarded the chain of command. As his bonded mate, he was upset that he was not there to soothe his needs. As the other parent of their future children, he was scared that Stephen wasn’t going to walk back in. Then there were all the other feelings and fears that he had stuffed away; lingering trauma from past events that had nothing to do with Stephen.

Karl sat up, emotionally and physically hurting from the last 24 hours.

“I don’t know how to do this. I have spent my whole life avoiding these sort of messy attachments, and here I am in the middle of one. As your Omega, how can I chastise you for stupidly endangering yourself, when I know it’s part of our work. At the same time I have to yell at you for not following protocol as the Sorcerer Supreme, but _you_ will think I am angry for leaving me during my heat. It’s all together Stephen. All of it.The only common thread here is _you_ royally fucked up, but _I_ will be at fault in this narrative.”

“My Omega?”

Karl tilted his head back and sighed. Their conversation was already not productive.

“Karl, I wasn’t thinking. My friend asked for help, and I wanted to help him. I didn’t think it through, and I should have.”

He would have hugged his knees if he could, much like he did as a teenager going through his heats.

“I’m sorry,” Stephen said looking at him.

His expression reflected Karl’s pain and exhaustion.

“I know. I know you are. It doesn’t matter at this point. You should just rest now. The worst is over, and I will be fine.”

Karl got up, checking the time, throwing on some clothes and left the bedroom. He needed time to cool off and regain control of his feelings. It didn’t help that it felt like his children were doing somersaults in his stomach. He checked the time, and made his way to the door to Kamar-Taj. He just wanted his own bed for a while.

Although his rooms were a little chilly, it was good to be back in their familiarity. He missed the smells and the openness of them. His bed was just the perfect hardness. It was being like in cocoon.

It was the first time he slept soundly in a long time, and he had needed it. Even though he would occasionally wake to relieve his bladder, he only really woke when there was a gentle hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes, looking at the man standing above him.

“Stephen? What? Is there something wrong?”

“You just left without telling me where you were going. I’ve been looking for you.”

“I needed to rest and recover. This is my home Stephen. It’s where I always come back to.”

Stephen looked at him, a sadness in his expression. When he named his boon, where Karl wanted to be probably never crossed his mind. Although they both knew that there were advantages to being with Stephen, his heart wanted what it wanted.

“You can stay here if you want,” Stephen said.

“What about your boon?” Karl asked.

“I didn’t care about that in the first place. Even though they aren't born yet, I didn’t want you to cut me out of our children's lives. I did worry about your safety too. I know that you wouldn’t have come to me back then.”

Karl knew he was right, and it would have never been possible for their relationship to grow as it had.

“It’s all complicated. I have come to love you, and it’s made me vulnerable for the first time in a long time. Sometimes I need to breathe, like the other day, night, whatever it was.”

Stephen sat next to him and grabbed his hands in his own.

“Did you just say that you love me?”

“Do you actually listen to what I say?”

Stephen grinned. He really did only hear what he wanted to hear.

“I have loved you for a long time, and I never wanted to hurt you, or restrict you. I just don’t know how to do this very well. I also don’t know how to balance having you as my superior and my bonded. It doesn’t matter though, if you needed it, I would give it up all for you.”

It was unexpected, and Karl was speechless. Even in the best stories, he had never read such a moving piece of sentiment. In all those books, never once did the Alpha offer to give everything to his Omega. It was something that confirmed in Karl that this was real. It wasn’t based on their bond, or even their children. It was actual love. The kind that tore people apart from the inside, and then managed to sew them back together.

Stephen gently pressed his lips to Karl’s, and then pushed asides Karl’s robes to kiss his neck. He moved his hands to Karl’s bump. These little touches of intimacy made Karl feel wanted and needed.

“I love you.”

“I feel the same,” Karl replied.

For the first time he felt like he could do this.

  
  


Epilogue

Wong looked over into the courtyard where Stephen was off to the side holding Donna. She had started crying while Daniel was sleeping, so he took her outside. The students had yet to start their lessons, so many of them went to coo over her, showering her with praise. Stephen glowed with pride, and Karl smirked at the scene.

“She feeds his ego more than anyone else could,” Karl remarked.

“I’m sure that he’s the same with Daniel,” Wong remarked.

“Don’t remind me,” Karl groaned.

“One would think you’d become a bit more parental after giving birth.”

“Parental yes, delusional no.”

It felt like he had died for the last few months. Between the lack of sleep, duties as Sorcerer Supreme, and taking care of two infants, he wasn’t sure how he was functioning. Although Stephen tried his best, he was still in New York except for the few hours a day he could get away. It was not an ideal situation, but they had to make the best of it. Karl was not going to ask him to give up being the master of the New York Sanctum, and there was no way he was going to risk his children in a city that seemed to be under siege every six months. The only good thing was at Kamar-Taj there were no shortage of last minute babysitters. Occasionally he had some of the more responsible ones take them for a few hour just so he could get a nap in.

“I still think you should have named them Agamotto and Oshtur,” Wong teased.

Karl shook his head in disappointment at his friend’s taunt. Wong laughed.

“Okay Daniel I get, but Donna?”

“It’s not my story to tell,” Karl remarked.

The weeks leading up to the birth were not the easiest, but they had grown so much together. Now when he looked at Stephen he saw not only his Alpha, but his chosen one, and his heart nearly burst from pride and affection. Before, Karl thought that those feelings were only found in the pages of books, and they were not for him.

They watched Stephen for a little bit with the students. It was funny to watch how they all made baby noises and wanted to play peek-a-boo with her even though she just stared at them like they were morons. He could already tell Donna took after him with her personality, while Daniel was more like Stephen.

All in all life was pretty good, and no matter what happened in the future, Karl finally felt like he had his family.


End file.
